SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Some local business owners said they are hoping a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court will put a stop to a Sacramento attorney who has filed hundreds of lawsuits.
The high court ruled Monday against Jarek Molski — a southern California disabled man who has filed hundreds of lawsuits against businesses he accuses of violating the Americans With Disabilities Act — letting stand a federal judge’s ruling that he can no longer file litigation.
The court’s decision may mean the days of filing lawsuits against Sacramento-area businesses are numbered for Scott Johnson.
In an interview with KCRA 3 last February, Johnson estimated he had filed about 480 lawsuits in the past four years.
Johnson said he was enforcing the law, not abusing the system.
“I bring more access cheaper, dollar for dollar, than anyone in the state,” Johnson said. “To settle this way is cheaper for businesses.”
Real Estate appraiser Atom Levi doesn’t agree with what Johnson is doing.
“In these hard economic times, it’s hurting a lot of people what he’s doing,” Levi said.
Levi said that after Johnson claimed his office was not ADA compliant he made improvements and hired a lawyer for himself.
“If I’m going to spend money, I’d rather give it to somebody who’s defending me than somebody who’s trying to harm me,” Levi said.
Johnson also sued Harris Industrial Gases for allegedly failing to be ADA compliant.
“This man (Johnson) has literally gone door to door on this street, Aburn boulevard,” Kathleen Harris said. “Mom-and-pop stores, Mexican and Asian restaurants (and) people who can’t pay and typically settle out of court.”
Johnson also sued Harris Industrial Gases for allegedly failing to be ADA compliant.
Harris said she is trying to find other business owners to join her financial effort to take Johnson to court to have him declared an abusive litigant.
If Johnson is declared an abusive litigant, he will need to get special permission from the court before filing new lawsuits.
Attempts made by KCRA 3 to contact Johnson for this story were unsucessful.
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